National Beneficiary Survey: Disability Statistics, 2019

Beneficiary Work Experiences and Expectations

Table 36. Future work expectations among recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased in the last year because of work, by program (in percent)
Characteristic Overall Program
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
  All recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work
Views on resuming benefits
Not planning to resume benefits 52.5 68.3 17.0 51.3
Planning or taking steps to resume benefits 11.8 13.8 5.9 13.1
Has resumed benefits 35.8 18.0 77.2 35.7
Knew at work outset that work earnings would affect benefits
Yes 61.4 74.8 35.6 55.9
No 38.6 25.2 64.4 44.1
Would still have worked if that had been known 44.3 36.0 45.3 54.6
Would not have worked if that had been known 55.7 64.0 54.7 45.4
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work 2,601 1,234 494 873
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work 349,732 186,871 80,404 82,457
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 2.8 2.5 4.5 2.4
  Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed a
Expects future work earnings sufficient to cease benefits again
Yes 33.9 36.9 17.9 55.7
No 38.2 57.3 27.9 27.1
Don't know b 27.8 5.8 54.1 16.7
Reasons for not expecting benefits to cease again c
Health "goes up and down" 25.1 44.6 4.1 0.5
Health will not improve enough to work 33.6 52.3 13.6 9.7
Cannot find the right job 1.0 0.8 0.9 1.9
Other 66.6 49.9 84.4 87.8
Reasons for responding "don't know" whether benefits will cease again b       16.7
Health "goes up and down" 6.2 21.5 0.6 28.9
Health may not improve enough to work 6.5 27.5 1.1 24.9
May not find the right job 10.3 3.7 0.6 65.9
Other 14.8 60.1 0.8 66.7
Benefit cessation because of work could have continued under different circumstances
Yes 25.5 16.3 27.1 36.4
No or don't know 74.5 83.7 72.9 63.6
If yes, circumstances that could have enabled continued benefit cessation because of work c
A change in work schedule 5.1 5.1 7.9 1.7
A more understanding employer 9.2 13.2 10.8 4.4
More understanding coworkers 1.0 0.0 (X) 2.9
Getting a job coach 1.1 2.5 0.0 1.6
On-the-job training 5.3 2.1 1.4 12.1
Transportation assistance 1.4 1.8 (X) 2.8
Child or family care assistance 1.9 2.3 (X) 2.7
Other 79.7 78.2 80.7 79.5
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed 669 251 167 251
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed 125,053 33,610 62,046 29,398
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 1.0 0.5 3.5 0.8
NOTES: "Recently employed" refers to beneficiaries who were working at interview, within the 6 months prior to interview, or at any point in 2018. This means that some beneficiaries who worked in early 2019 may be omitted.
Under certain work incentives, a beneficiary may retain noncash program benefits (such as continued Medicare or Medicaid coverage) when cash benefits have ceased because of work.
(X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
a. Includes beneficiaries in the process of resuming benefits.
b. Excludes "refused" answers.
c. Multiple responses possible.
Table 37. Reasons why work attempts did not succeed among recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased in the last year because of work then resumed, by program (in percent)
Reason Overall Program
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
Health-related 64.6 79.8 34.3 66.4
Health getting worse 38.7 76.5 10.7 20.4
New health problem 7.2 6.6 0.8 19.2
Injury 9.2 23.2 (X) 0.5
Job had negative health impact 9.9 24.7 0.1 1.1
Need to be hospitalized 7.5 3.2 5.6 18.3
Need more time for medical appointments 33.3 4.6 78.0 6.4
Health interferes with ability to perform any work 21.6 36.2 2.0 30.0
Lack strength, energy, or stamina needed for any work 11.8 25.9 3.2 2.1
Pain makes work unbearable 4.2 5.3 4.2 2.4
Health status fluctuates unpredictably 6.3 0.7 2.6 22.3
Any kind of work is too stressful or tiring 10.5 25.3 1.0 1.0
Other 9.6 12.0 7.2 9.4
Job-related 12.3 7.0 7.8 23.6
Job does not pay enough 12.9 24.9 10.0 8.2
Job does not offer health insurance 2.4 0.0 11.7 (X)
Need different schedule 16.7 9.2 32.1 16.2
Medical appointments interfered with job duties 1.3 (X) (X) (X)
Was fired 1.4 0.0 (X) (X)
Health problems affect job performance 11.6 22.1 13.9 6.2
Insufficient strength, energy, or stamina for job duties 3.0 11.4 (X) (X)
Pain interferes with working the required set schedule 1.1 (X) (X) (X)
Special equipment needed, not provided 1.6 (X) (X) 0.0
Did not like or could not get along with—
Coworkers 28.5 3.7 7.8 45.1
Supervisor 5.1 11.5 0.0 3.5
Human resources staff 3.1 4.9 11.8 (X)
Other 28.8 38.1 43.5 20.7
Personal circumstance 19.3 12.2 14.8 33.1
Need child care 27.4 7.3 4.7 47.5
Need personal assistance getting ready 1.5 1.8 0.0 (X)
Potential loss of government benefits 29.8 29.3 39.8 26.5
Personality conflicts with other at job 1.3 (X) 6.9 0.0
No reliable transportation 23.2 11.4 42.3 23.5
Working makes life too tiring/stressful 0.9 0.6 3.9 (X)
Actual loss of government benefits 5.1 11.7 8.5 (X)
Other 64.3 61.2 73.6 62.9
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed 669 251 167 251
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed 125,053 33,610 62,046 29,398
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work then resumed as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 1.0 0.5 3.5 0.8
NOTES: "Recently employed" refers to beneficiaries who were working at interview, within the 6 months prior to interview, or at any point in 2018. This means that some beneficiaries who worked in early 2019 may be omitted.
Under certain work incentives, a beneficiary may retain noncash program benefits (such as continued Medicare or Medicaid coverage) when cash benefits have ceased because of work.
Includes beneficiaries who are in the process of resuming cash benefits.
Multiple responses possible.
(X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
Table 38. Reasons why work attempts may not succeed among recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased in the last year because of work, but who might need to resume cash benefits, by program (in percent)
Reason Overall Program
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
Health-related 58.3 70.3 47.4 24.4
Health getting worse 74.9 77.6 50.4 65.9
New health problem 10.7 11.1 8.4 9.2
Injury 0.8 0.7 (X) 2.2
Job had negative health impact 1.7 0.8 9.1 5.3
Need to be hospitalized 8.9 9.6 1.8 7.3
Need more time for medical appointments 1.7 1.2 3.6 4.5
Health interferes with ability to perform any work 6.2 4.1 15.2 19.2
Lack strength, energy, or stamina needed for any work 2.2 1.4 3.6 7.8
Pain makes work unbearable 2.7 1.5 5.8 11.9
Health status fluctuates unpredictably 4.1 2.8 8.9 13.0
Any kind of work is too stressful or tiring 1.5 1.0 3.5 4.7
Other 15.4 12.4 37.8 28.5
Job-related 5.8 4.9 7.4 8.2
Job does not pay enough 4.8 (X) 0.0 7.5
Job does not offer health insurance 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Need different schedule 14.9 19.2 23.5 4.6
Medical appointments interfered with job duties (X) (X) (X) 0.0
Was fired 1.5 (X) (X) (X)
Health problems affect job performance 13.7 10.0 19.9 19.0
Insufficient strength, energy, or stamina for job duties 7.1 7.2 (X) (X)
Pain interferes with working the required set schedule 3.1 1.7 19.9 (X)
Special equipment needed, not provided (X) (X) 0.0 0.0
Did not like or could not get along with—
Coworkers 7.0 5.9 (X) 10.9
Supervisor 2.3 2.4 (X) (X)
Human resources staff 4.5 4.9 0.0 (X)
Other 62.6 72.0 56.7 46.6
Personal circumstance 6.7 4.5 12.2 11.9
Need child care 31.9 19.5 25.8 48.4
Need personal assistance getting ready 1.5 0.0 (X) (X)
Potential loss of government benefits 10.5 9.9 (X) 14.2
Personality conflicts with other at job 14.8 27.0 (X) (X)
No reliable transportation 33.7 53.4 18.9 14.8
Working makes life too tiring/stressful 8.5 15.2 (X) (X)
Actual loss of government benefits 1.7 (X) 0.0 (X)
Other 44.8 65.0 56.7 17.5
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work but might have to resume 347 183 71 93
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work but might have to resume 41,222 25,700 4,730 10,792
Recently employed beneficiaries whose cash benefits ceased because of work but might have to resume as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
NOTES: "Recently employed" refers to beneficiaries who were working at interview, within the 6 months prior to interview, or at any point in 2018. This means that some beneficiaries who worked in early 2019 may be omitted.
Under certain work incentives, a beneficiary may retain noncash program benefits (such as continued Medicare or Medicaid coverage) when cash benefits have ceased because of work.
Includes beneficiaries who report that they might need to resume cash benefits.
Multiple responses possible.
(X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.